This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In the manufacture of modern vehicle propeller shaft assemblies, it is common practice to include a balancing process to identify and counteract an unbalanced condition of a propeller shaft assembly, which typically includes a shaft, such as a hollow shaft capped on both ends, such as with cardan joints for example. A typical balancing process that utilizes a balancing machine is often included as one of the final operations in the overall manufacturing process of the propeller shaft assembly. The balancing machine will typically rotate the propeller shaft assembly at a predetermined speed and sense vibrations that can be caused by an unbalanced propeller shaft structure. The balancing machine then identifies where one or more balancing weights, typically solid masses, may need to be positioned on the propeller shaft assembly to counteract the vibrations caused by the unbalanced structure. Once the desired weight positions are identified, the typical balancing machine must stop rotation of the propeller shaft so that these weights can be affixed to discrete locations on an exterior surface of the propeller shaft, such as by adhesives or welding.
In some instances, the propeller shaft can become damaged during the process of physically affixing the solid weights to the exterior surface (e.g., due to high weld temperatures) and the propeller shaft assembly then has to be re-worked or scrapped. In other instances, the weights can be incorrectly positioned or affixed, causing the propeller shaft assembly to also be re-worked or scrapped. Furthermore, in some applications it is desirable that the exterior surface of the propeller shaft be coated or painted. In such applications, the typical balancing process requires that the weights be attached to the propeller shaft before such a coating or paint is applied in order to ensure proper attachment to the propeller shaft. However, imperfections in the application of the coating or paint can subsequently cause imbalances in the propeller shaft assembly, which can require the propeller shaft assembly to be re-worked or scrapped. Furthermore, since the hollow shaft is typically capped on both ends during the balancing process, the weights typically cannot be positioned and affixed to the interior of the hollow shaft.